Mom Answers

This is my second pregnancy. I went crazy the first time deciding if I was in labor or not. Here's what I figured out...
What I thought were contactions (but were Braxton Hicks) felt just like menstrual cramps. Uncomfortable, as menstrual cramps always are, but bearable. There would often be back pain too.
Once I was in labor, there was NO doubt. My labor was only 7 1/2 hrs, so it started out with a swift kick in the butt. The first contraction was much more intense than anything I'd experienced, and there was no position I could get into to relieve it. Then I experienced another and another and they became closer together.
When you're in active labor you WILL know! If you think you're in early first stage cycle eating, drinking, walking and napping. It will halt or grow, and you will be well fed, hydrated and rested.
I found relief in pelvic rocking (hands and knees, or standing squat), childs pose and cat/cow. Check out a birth video. The look of labor is undoubtable!

I am almost 38 weeks and I have been sitting on being dialated 2-3 cm for almost two weeks now and I lost my mucus plug and I have bloody show. I get bad back pains and LOTS of contractions but no baby yet. It is so hard to tell the difference between early and prelabor symptoms. If the pains last all day and increase I would call your doc. or the birthing center where you will be delivering.

I have heard that if you are having contractions that are not regular, sometimes it's because you are dehydrated. Try drinking water when this happens and they might go away. With my first son i took up two bags of liquid (IV) once at the hospital. My contractions were coming every two minutes but no baby...the nurse said it was because i was dehydrated.

I will be 38 weeks tomorrow and yesterday while i was at work i started having a bloody show and just a few min later i started having contractions. They strated slow, but then got really close and hard. I went to the hospital and i was dialated more than 2cm,and my contractions were bad and every 2 min. Then they gave me phenergan for the pain and my contractions stopped and they sent me home! Next time im refusing any medicine until they have admitted me for sure!

I am 38 weeks, 3 cm dilated and 80% effaced. I am also having similar symptoms as everyone else; backaches, menstrual like cramps, stronger Braxton Hicks, increase in discharge, increase in discomfort etc... Also like everyone else I am excited to have my baby and keep wondering when labor will start. But from reading some of the responses I get the impression that some of you are allowing these final exciting weeks to stress you out. DON'T! Relax and enjoy the last few days of pregnancy. After all nothing good comes out of stress. If you think you might be in labor call your doctor. If not, then sit back and relax. The time will come.

You are not alone. I just turned 37 weeks and I am getting back pains and cramps. I believe they might be braxton hicks. For my last child I didn't feel any contractions and didn't even know I was in labor so I am very nervous about the pain I am feeling.

I am also 37 weeks, I think from all the other advice everyone is giving, it could just be your body getting ready for "the day". You actually should be timing the cramps you are getting. I have been getting quite frequent contractions since Sunday. So maybe if you time them, you'll have the idea if you should go to labor and delivery. Most importantly, if they last for more than an hour and they are constant, then maybe you should call your doctor.
has anyone had any trouble breathing during these pains?

I have been having lower back pains thru-out my pg, i'm 37 wks now and definitely noticed a huge uptick in how often and how bad it was hurting, so I called my dr's and they said that, it sounds like starting labor. They also said that it could be a few days still, just the body's way of warming itself up. That was most likely, but they also said it was possible that if the back pains were outta control that it could be a UTI or bladder infection. I have only lost tiny chunks of my mucus plug and have been having regular braxton hicks sine like week 35. If it gets to the point where you cannot handle, they told me just go ahead to the hospital. I have no idea how far dilated I am, they haven't checked once. Is that weird? Cuz everyone else seems to know how far they are by 37 weeks. I'm curious.

im 37 weeks been dialated 2 cm for a week contractions but none lasting long enough to time. this is my 4th preganacy i hope it goes like my 3rd ,i wasn't having no contractions,no pain ,my water broke ,i went to the hospital 2 miles away,was dialated 5cm when i got there.they gave me an epidural i didn't have any pain my whole labor that was my easiest birth i hope its that easy this time.but i think its just wishful thinking.good luck to every one

i'm almost 39 weeks....been having what they say at the hospital is early labor for over a week....not fun....i have contractions every 6-3 mins but are not painful enough for them to admit me to the hospital....and i was only 80% effaced but that was a week and half ago....going to see my midwife today hopefully she will let me go to the hospital....but sharp pains and all are suspose to be normal ...midwife says its the babys head pushing and streaching to drop....i would try timing ur pains and also give ur doc or labor and deliver center at ur hospital a call and let them know whats going on...they would be best to ask...

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